Chanticleer Book Reviews

Author: chanti

What Acquisition Editors and Agents Notice When Evaluating a Manuscript – A Handy Checklist by Jessica Page Morrell
Jessica Page Morrell, Developmental Editor for Books and Screenplays

Jessica Page Morrell is a top-tier developmental editor for books and screenplays. Her articles have appeared in Writer’s Digest and The Writer magazines. She is known for explaining the hows and whys of what makes for excellent writing and for sharing very clear examples that examine the technical aspects of writing that emphases layering and subtext. Her books on writing craft are considered “a must have” for any serious writer’s toolkit.

Jessica will teach the Master Craft Writing Classes at the Chanticleer Authors Conference on Sunday, April 21st, and will present sessions during the conference.

She is sharing her handy Writing Craft Checklist with us because we all can use reminders. We advise that you make sure that your manuscripts do not have any of the following issues prior to submitting them to agents and acquisition editors. If you are too close to a work to evaluate it, you may want to consider having an objective and unbiased manuscript overview to catch these issues.

Editors and agents are word people, most were English majors in college and have a great love and respect for the written word. They will notice your level of craft within the first sentences, so your efforts must be polished, vivid and exceptional.

Jessica Page Morrell’s Handy Writing Craft Reminders Checklist
- Your manuscript lives or dies on your opening sentences and each word must be perfect, precise, and weighted with meaning.
- Editors notice and are turned off by passive voice and wimpy verbs.
- Editors notice when the viewpoint jumps or shifts within a scene.
- Editors notice too much telling (reporting or summary) and not enough showing in all types of writing including essays and memoir.
- Editors notice when emotions are announced instead of dramatized.
- Editors notice frequent use of names in dialogue. Generally, leave out names.
- An editor notices sloppy punctuation such as the excess use of exclamation points, quote marks around inner thoughts, improper use of semicolons and ellipsis.
- Editors notice protagonists who are not proactive, heroic in some way, and bigger than life.
- Editors notice characters with a limited emotional range and expression.
- Editors notice large and small inaccuracies and inconsistencies—when the character has blue eyes on page 23 and green eyes on page 57; when a character drives an old, beat-up, pick-up truck that is inexplicably equipped with airbags; when an animal, plant, or species of any sort is misnamed or shows up in the wrong region of the country.
- Editors notice when technical details don’t ring true—such as in a mystery when police don’t follow standard arrest procedure; when a yacht sinks from a single bullet hole; or explosive materials are used haphazardly.
- Editors notice vague descriptions (plant instead of ivy, tree instead of oak) and generalities instead of details that bring the reader into a specific time and place.
- Editors notice when writers don’t write for all the senses, especially leaving out smells.
- Editors notice small confusions such as misusing it’s and its, that and which, affect and effect, compliment and complement, lay and lie.
- Editors notice overly long paragraphs and a general lack of white space. Generally, paragraphs are five or six sentences long and as taught in grade school introduce a topic, develop a topic, then conclude or lead on to the next paragraph.
- Editors notice a lack of transitions—the words and phrases that announce a change in mood or emotion, time, and place so the reader can easily follow. They also know excess transitions as when you follow your characters across every room and along every sidewalk.
- Editors notice excess modifiers, purple prose, and too much description. The best writing is lean and economical and every word in every sentence has a job to do.
- Editors notice a voice that is flat, inappropriate, or boring. Voice, whether it is the writer’s voice in an essay or the viewpoint character or narrator in fiction, must breathe life into the piece and hint at the person behind the words.
CAC18 Writing Craft Sessions and Workshops presented by Jessica Page Morrell to take your writing craft to the next level. #SeriousAuthors

Click here to read more in-depth descriptions of the sessions.
- Learning from the Greats – Sunday Master Morning Writing Craft Class – Intermediate to Advanced Levels
- The Anchor Scenes of Fiction – Sunday Afternoon Master Writing Class – Fiction, Film
- How High Concept Really Works – Regular Session – Friday Regular Session – Fiction, Film
- Subtext: The Quiet River Beneath the Story – 1.5 hours Regular Session on Saturday – Writing Craft
- KaffeeKlatch Session – What’s in a Title? – Book Promotion Tools & Tips
March 9, 2018
Jessica Page Morrell – Top Tier Developmental Editor & Author to Present at CAC18
#CAC18 Story. Production. Beyond. #SeriousAuthors

Jessica Page Morrell

Each year we offer writing craft sessions from the best editors and authors in the publishing industry.

This year we are excited to announce that we have Jessica Page Morrell as the teacher of the Master Writing Craft Sessions.

Jessica understands both sides of the editorial desk–as a highly-sought after developmental editor and an author. Her work also appears in multiple anthologies and The Writer and Writer’s Digest magazines. She is known for explaining the hows and whys of what makes for excellent writing and for sharing very clear examples that examine the technical aspects of writing that emphases layering and subtext. Her books on writing craft are considered “a must have” for any serious writer’s toolkit.

CAC18 Writing Craft Sessions and Workshops presented by Jessica Page Morrell

If you are not registered for CAC18, you may register for only the Master Classes taught by Ms. Morrell by clicking here.
- Learning from the Greats – Sunday Morning Writing Craft Master Class 9:30 – 12:30, April 22, 2018
Although writers can feel inundated by all the writing advice available in our current times; dissecting, reflecting, and even emulating great writers can be a powerful tool. It’s especially helpful to study the best in the genre you write in. This workshop teaches writers how to deconstruct and analyze elements of craft. It will demonstrate how to study the balance of narrative and dialogue; how POV shifts in an ensemble cast; how figurative and descriptive language are used in varying kinds of scenes; how pace and action are entwined; the benefits of first and third-person viewpoint, and the subtle variations of each. In this workshop, we’ll discuss the techniques used by a variety of authors including Alice Munro, Raymond Carver, Ernest Hemingway, Elmore Leonard, Marilyn Robinson, Ray Bradbury, Anne Patchett, and others. We’ll also cover work habits, language, and sentence potency, and we’ll synthesize the best commandments on writing from the best and brightest.
- The Anchor Scenes of Fiction – Sunday Afternoon Writing Craft Master Class 1:30 – 4:30, April 22, 2018
The task of a novelist or screenwriter is to tell a story so riveting that it will hold a reader’s attention for hundreds of pages or a viewer’s attention for several hours in a theater. This requires an intimate knowledge of your characters and thorough understanding of plot, the sequence of events that take readers from beginning to end. Your structure will reveal the protagonist’s struggles to solve problems and achieve goals. This, in turn, brings emotions to life and explains the importance of what a character is trying to achieve and what stands in his way.

These events won’t hang together without a compelling structure that underlies the whole—the essential scenes that every story needs to create drive, tension, conflict, climax, and resolution. We’ll illustrate and come to understand the anchor scenes needed in fiction and film: Inciting Incident, First Plot Point, and Mid-point Reversal, Point of No Return, Darknight of the Soul, Climax, and Resolution. We’ll discuss how the protagonist stars in these scenes, how they’re emotionally-charged, build the plot, and illustrate character growth.
- Subtext: The Quiet River Beneath the Story – 1.5 hours Regular Session
For most writers subtext is the most elusive of all writing techniques. However, life is often lived between the lines, and scenes often simmer with the unspoken beneath dialogue and action. In this workshop, subtext will be explained with examples from various genres. We’ll also discuss nonverbal communication and how to render it onto the page and how to hint at lies and secrets in scenes so that dialogue scenes are enhanced. We’ll cover how metaphor and visual clues create subtext. Mostly we’ll investigate all the ways to insert subtext—the unspoken, innuendo, gestures, pauses, misdirection, colors, clothing, setting details—in other words, the nuanced moments that are not directly represented.
- KaffeeKlatch Session – an informal session where we discuss Q & A – Simple Steps to Solve Story Problems. Ballroom Saturday, (9 – 9:50)
Click here for more information about the 2018 Chanticleer Authors Conference
March 8, 2018
Instructional and Insightful Non-Fiction Book Awards 2017 Shortlist
We are excited to announce the Instructional and Insightful Non-Fiction Book Awards 2017 Shortlisters. The I&I’s Books Awards focus on guides, how-to, self-help, and instructional non-narrative non-fiction works. The I&I Book Awards is a division of the Chanticleer International Book Awards and Writing Competitions.

Congratulations to the Official 2017 Instruction and Insight Non-Fiction Book Awards Shortlisters!
- Nicole Evelina – The Once and Future Queen: Guinevere in Arthurian Legend
- Mark Devro – Forever in Bloom
- Andrés T. Tapia – The Inclusion Paradox: The Obama Era and the Transformation of Global Diversity
- Robert Rodriquez, Ph.D. & Andrés T. Tapia – Auténtico: The Definitive Guide to Latino Career Success
- Gustavo J. Gomez, Ph.D. – Private Money Lending: Learn How to Consistently Generate a Passive Income Stream
- Christopher Zoukis – Federal Prison Handbook: The Definitive Guide To Surviving The Federal Bureau Of Prisons
- P.J. Frick – Pizza With Jesus (No Black Olives)
- Fiza Pathan – CLASSICS: Why and how we can encourage children to read them
- Kelly Tan Peterson – Keto East: Cooking Asian Cuisine Ketogenically
- Deeann Callis Graham – Head-On, Stories of Alopecia
- Barbara McNally – Wounded Warrior, Wounded Wife
Good luck to all the I&I Book Awards Short List as they compete for the First Place Category Positions. First Place Category Positions will be announced on Saturday, April 21st, 2018 at the annual Chanticleer International Book Awards ceremony.

More than $30,000 dollars in cash and prizes are awarded to Chanticleer International Blue Ribbon Awards Winners annually.

We are now accepting entries into the 2018 I&I Book Awards for Non-Fiction. The deadline is December, 31st, 2018. Please click here for more information:
March 1, 2018
WIZZY WIG: THANATOS RISING, BOOK 2 by Tiffany Pitts – Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Humor
Have you ever wondered what might happen if you unknowingly ripped a hole in the space-time continuum? Jake and Kix find out firsthand just how much madness can ensue when this exact conundrum befalls them in Wizzy Wig: Thanatos Rising Book Two by Tiffany Pitts, a fun and quirky Sci-Fi romp that fans of Terry Pratchett and Douglas Adams are sure to enjoy.

The evening begins innocently enough when Jake invites Kix over with a pizza to help him solve a wave function experiment. While Kix relaxes on the couch, Jake turns his attention to an experiment he’s come up with based on the idea of Schrödinger’s cat, except instead of a cat in a box, Jake’s version uses a pizza in a box. For those unfamiliar with the concept of Schrödinger’s cat, this thought experiment posits that an unobservable cat in a box is simultaneously alive and dead—essentially the cat can exist in any or no state at all. Jake hypothesizes that an unobservable pizza in a box is inherently similar—it could exist in any state as well—and thus can have its toppings changed if one knows the right math—which he does.

Jake turns his attention to his computer and does his best not to be distracted by Kix’s (striped) tights and his massive crush on her while he attempts to alter the toppings on the unseen pizza in the box. He succeeds. And the world as they know it is altered in incredible, yet difficult to see ways. Soon, Kix is on the run for her life from the genuinely creepy and disturbing Brad, a far more sinister version of her neighbor Thad, who has crossed over from another version of reality.

Enter Thanatos, Dark Lord of the Underworld, otherwise known as Toesy. Toesy is not your normal housecat. Firstly he is part demon, secondly, he has thumbs that help him open doors (a souvenir from a previous experiment of Jake’s in book one) and lastly, he’s got Executive Wartime Consigliore Steve…the voice inside his head who helps him strategize his battles. As a cat, Toesy is a natural ‘boundary walker’ and quickly realizes what the other characters do not—that the hole Jake ripped in the space-time continuum by solving his wave experiment has caused the distinct versions of the multiverse to overlap and merge in terrifying ways.

Wizzy Wig is told through the shifting perspectives of its diverse cast of characters, some of whom are alternate versions of each other. Multiple storylines that may at first be confusing come together in the end to create a complex story set in the heart of modern Seattle. Readers should note that this isn’t the type of novel one can halfway pay attention to. Wizzy Wig requires all of a reader’s attention. We are dealing with the space-time continuum after all and characters do not only cross from one reality to another in easily tracked ways. The realities themselves overlap and merge at times, and characters may appear as one or the other version of themselves or even change personalities altogether.

Pitts has crafted a fun, complex, modern Sci-Fi novel in which nothing is off limits. Multiverses exist, murderous banana spiders find their way into apartment buildings, sugar gliders seek their freedom, readers find themselves in the mind of a sociopath, and the boy who just may get the girl, if they can both survive long enough. Wizzy Wig: Thanatos Rising is an entertaining and quirky Sci-Fi novel, and while there are some punctuation errors throughout, it doesn’t detract from the story. Readers will find clever and resourceful heroes worth cheering for in this second installment of the Thanatos Rising series.
February 27, 2018
SOMERSET Book Awards 2017 Shortlist for Literary and Contemporary Fiction
The SOMERSET Book Awards recognizes emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Literary, Contemporary, and Mainstream Fiction. The Somerset Book Awards is a division of Chanticleer International Novel Writing Competitions.

More than $30,000.00 dollars worth of cash and prizes will be awarded to Chanticleer Book Reviews 2017 writing competition winners at the Chanticleer Authors Conference April 21st, 2018!

This is the Official Semi-Finalists List of the Authors and Titles of Works that have been SHORT-LISTED for the Somerset 2017 Book Awards. These titles will now compete for the First In Category positions.
- Stephanie C. Lyons-Keeley & Wayne J. Keeley – Going All In
- Julie Carrick Dalton – Four Degrees
- Lou Dischler – Too Pretty for a Hit Man
- John Herman – The Counting of Coup
- J.P. Kenna – Joel Emmanuel
- Gregory Erich Phillips – The Exile
- Gayle Hanratty – Gray Hampton
- Toni Wilbarger – Words Will Never Hurt Me
- Lou Dischler – The Benzene Carnival
- Blaine Beveridge – A Bit of Candy in Hard Times
- Samuel Winburn – Ten Directions
- Justine Avery – The One Apart: A Novel
- Judith Kirscht – The Camera’s Eye
- Kaylin McFarren – Twisted Threads
- David B. Seaburn – Parrot Talk
- C.L. Ogilvie – Skipping Out on Henry
- Elizabeth Crowens – Dear Mr. Hitchcock
- Chuck Gould – The Rabbi’s Gift
- James Gregory Kingston – The City Island Messenger
- Malcolm Ivey – On the Shoulders of Giants
- Michelle Rene – Hour Glass
- Yorker Keith – The Other La Boheme
- J.L. Skirvin – Rollins of Stone House
- Jessica Dainty – The Shape of the Atmosphere
- Richard Barager – The Atheist and the Parrotfish
- J. Argo – The Blackest Crow
- Carol June Stover – Kenmore Square/ A Novel
- Sarah Houssayni – Fireworks
- Beth Wareham and Jason Davis – Hair Club Burning
- Conon E Parks – Empty Bottle of Smoke
- Kathleen M. Rodgers – Seven Wings to Glory
Good Luck to all of the 2017 SOMERSET Short-Listers as they compete for the First Place Category positions.

First In Category announcements will be made at the Awards Ceremony. The SOMERSET Grand Prize Winner and First Place Category Winners will be announced at the April 21st, 2018 Chanticleer Writing Contests Annual Awards Gala, at the Chanticleer Authors Conference that will be held in Bellingham, Wash.

We are now accepting submissions into the 2018 SOMERSET Book Awards for Literary, Contemporary, and Mainstream Fiction. Please click here for more information.
February 21, 2018
PARANORMAL BOOK AWARDS Shortlist for 2017
The PARANORMAL Book Awards recognizes emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Magic, supernatural, superhumans, magical beings, vampires and werewolves, and etc. The PARANORMAL Book Awards is a division of Chanticleer International Book Awards.

Congratulations to these authors for their works moving up from the 2017 Paranormal slush pile to the Short List. These novels will now compete for the First Place Category positions!

Each of the titles below has earned the PARANORMAL BOOK AWARDS SHORTLIST bragging rights!

More than $30,000.00 dollars worth of cash and prizes will be awarded to Chanticleer Book Reviews 2017 writing competition winners!

The PARANORMAL Book Awards FIRST IN CATEGORY sub-genres are Adventure/Mystery/Thriller, Paranormal Romance, Magical Beings & Creatures, Strange and Unexplained, & Supernatural powers.

The following titles will compete for the FIRST IN CATEGORY Positions and Book Awards Packages.

NOTE: This is the Official List of the PARANORMAL 2017 SHORT LIST.

This is the Official 2017 Shortlist for the 2017 PARANORMAL Book Awards:
- Joanne Jaytanie – Willow’s Discovery
- Alex E. Carey – Water’s Reflection
- Judith Docken – Ghosted: A Novel of Life, Love and Moving On
- Pamela LePage – Virtuous Souls
- Elizabeth Crowens – Dear Mr. Hitchcock
- Elizabeth Crowens – A Pocketful of Lodestones, Time Traveler Professor Book 2
- Emma Rose Millar – Delirium
- Joy Ross Davis – Countenance
- Susan Buffum – Out
- Lydia Staggs – Rea
- Jerry Gundersheimer – Face of the Bell Witch: Book One of The Medium Series
- Tom & Nancy Wise – Life on Base: Spirit of Quantico
- DJ Erfert – Window of Time
- Ann Charles – Make No Bones About It
- Chynna Laird – Dark Water
- Heather Starsong – Never Again
- Avanti Centrae – VanOps – The Lost Power
- Laura Wolfe – Barn Shadows (Dark Horse, Book Two)
- J.R.R.R. (Jim) Hardison – Demon Freaks
As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions, concerns, or suggestions at Info@ChantiReviews.com.

Congratulations to the Short Listers in this fiercely competitive contest!

Good Luck to each of you!

The PARANORMAL Grand Prize Winner and the Five First Place Category Position award winners along with all Short Listers in attendance will be announced at the April 21st, 2018 Chanticleer Book Awards Annual Awards Gala, which takes place at the Chanticleer Authors Conference that will be held in Bellingham, Wash.

We are now accepting submissions for the 2018 PARANORMAL Awards writing competition. The deadline for submissions is September 30th, 2018. Please click here for more information.
February 17, 2018
The MYSTERY of HOLLOW INN (SAMANTHA WOLF MYSTERY, BOOK 1) by Tara Ellis – Middle Grade Mystery, Folk Tales, Children’s Books
A summer vacation turns sinister for two tweeny girls far away from home.

Twelve-year-old Samantha (Sam) Wolf and her best friend Alyson (Ally) Parker leave their home state of Washington vacation two weeks in Montana where Sam’s aunt and uncle have turned an old mansion into a hotel called Hollow Inn, after the family that once lived there. While things look pretty good initially, the girls learn from the staff that the place is haunted. Moreover, business is suffering since the last guests abruptly left claiming someone else was in their room – a ghost! Now, Sam’s aunt and uncle must deal with negative rumors and targeted vandalism.

Sam doesn’t fall immediately into the trap of believing the mansion is haunted. Being a natural investigator, Sam happily delves into the Hollow family journal found in the attic. Her hope is to find answers, to separate fact from fiction where the Hollow family history is concerned, and find a way to boost her uncle and aunt’s business.

While Sam’s intentions are good, situations become challenging and downright frightening when a dark presence appears in her room during her first night at the inn. The next day, the girls take a little boat out on the lake and panic when the boat mysteriously overturns. More determined than ever, Sam and Ally begin snooping around the estate in earnest to get to the bottom of the strange occurrences. Their investigation pays off when they discover a secret passageway. Little do they know, however, that their find will point them down a dangerous path.

Ellis’ The Mystery at Hollow Inn, the first book in the Samantha Wolf Mysteries is a well-written work, filled with engaging dialogue, plenty of twists and turns, and chapter cliffhangers that champions a confident, inquisitive young girl and her friend.

Reminiscent of Nancy Drew, Samantha (Sam) Wolf is a relatable, well-crafted character that young readers will enjoy getting to know. Level-headed, smart, and focused, Ellis’ newest heroine can consider any situation that comes her way without allowing her emotions to taint her decisions. She’s also exceptionally curious, an asset that lands her in hot water time and time again.

Working with a small and relatively harmless-looking cast, Ellis keeps her antagonists under wraps while sprinkling red herrings and false leads throughout the narrative; and while clues (lightly laced with twists) are given, it’s a who-dun-it to the very end.

Make room on your bookshelf next to Nancy Drew! Here comes a new series perfect for today’s young mystery fan. Samantha Wolf tackles ghosts, vandals, and a creepy sense that someone or something is watching her every move!

Reviewer’s Notes:
- How was the writing? (very good style, minimal errors)
- Is there any sex? (none)
- Is there any violence? (very low- age appropriate)
- How is the book narrated? (third-person POV)
- Which tense is the book? (largely present tense)
- What’s the mood? (a classic Middle-Grade mystery that consistently builds tension)
February 17, 2018
Writers’ Chinese New Year Horoscopes for 2018

Fun and Inspirational Good-Fortune Horoscopes for Writers for the Chinese New Year – the Year of the Dog! by 殿堂级 Diàntáng Jí (Chanticleer’s cousin)

February 18th, 2018 heralds the New Year according to the Traditional Chinese Calendar.

This year of the Earth Dog comes after the year of the Fire Rooster (2017) and before the year of the Earth Pig (2019). The Pig comes in as the last of the 12-year cycle of the Chinese zodiac, making the year of the Dog the eleventh sign of the cycle.

Chinese Horoscope astrologers forecast that 2018 will be a good year as opposed to the tumultuous last year of the Fire Rooster. The focus will be on home and hearth. The astrologers advise that 2018 is the year for all to start healthy habits and cut back on bad health habits.

Below are Chinese Horoscope forecasts for those who live the Writing Life

Note from Kiffer Brown: Chanticleer believes that we each make our own destiny by being optimistic and positive, being kind and loving, by dreaming and inspiring, being bold and doing, by appreciating and being grateful, and by expanding our awareness of the Universe.

Enjoy and have fun!

If your sign is a Dog (honest, loyal, and hardworking):

This is your lucky year—if you thrive on hard work and discipline. Be sure to nourish and champion other writers in your life who are supportive of you as they will reward you later. Build good relationships with your editors to alleviate worry about your work in progress. It is forecasted that being a team player will be fortuitous for you. You will have the mental clarity to keep your writing flowing. Try not to control the flow or overthink the writing process. Trust in yourself.

If your sign is a Pig (kind, friendly, and curious):

Researching your family history may lead to new storylines and surprising new characters. If you can travel to your ancestors’ homelands, you will be inspired. Being inquisitive will pay off. If you are fortunate enough to be in the position to help other writers, you should do so. Do not become complacent, but be diligent about making good efforts in your work-in-progress. Don’t listen to nay-sayers. Explore new ways of connecting with readers.

If your sign is a Rat (amiable and creative):

Explore new areas, take up a new hobby or interest to supercharge your creativity. Have you been interested in writing in a second genre? If so, this may be your year to try it. Perhaps you should consider adding a dash more romance to your works…This year, celebrate the many good things in your life. This is the year to break out of your writing ruts. Your perfectionist tendencies can cause you to worry unnecessarily and to doubt yourself when you have no need to.

If your sign is an Ox (leaders and loyal friends)

Your attention to detail and being actively involved will serve you well this year! The year of the Earth Dog has the propensity to make prosperous in your endeavors. This is a good year to take on new projects and to expand your horizons. However, if you stick with bad routines and unsatisfactory projects, luck may turn its back on you. Have confidence in your self and your projects, but be moderate where spending money is concerned.

If your sign is a Tiger (passionate and have courage)

This is a particularly promising year for you. Your writerly connections will increase bringing you new opportunities. Forge ahead with your work-in-progress, but be sure to listen to advice given by your editors. Your writing is daring and powerful. You like to cross boundaries and break writing conventions, which is good. However, collaboration with those whom you respect will bring you success. Be sure to share your knowledge with other authors.

If your sign is a Rabbit (friendly and possessing great common sense):

This is the year to contemplate balancing your lifestyle. Are you spending too much time sitting in front of the computer? Are you drinking too much coffee or soda while writing? Be sure to take breaks for walks in nature to invigorate your creative juices. Speaking of juices, try more healthy drinks such as green or white tea instead of coffee this year. As for your writing projects, follow your instincts and try not to second guess yourself. Be sure to read some new books by authors whose works you have not read before.

If your sign is a Dragon (passionate and quickwitted)

This is the year to upgrade your computer/application skills. These new skills will take your writer’s career to a new level. Are there new technologies out there that will benefit your writing career? Be sure to investigate! Concentrate on your pursuits and keep your nose to the grindstone. Try to appear outwardly more moderate in your opinions during the year of the Dog. If you can’t leave a positive review, don’t leave one at all during the year of the Dog.

If your sign is a Snake (wise and almost mystical):

This is the year where you will discover new interests and new techniques to propel your writing career. You are able to hone in on trends before they become popular. Be sure to have your works evaluated and proofed before publishing this year. Don’t be hasty when it comes to publishing. Consider adding romantic elements to your work-in-progress. Be sure to read extensively during the year of the Dog. Be sure to promote and market your backlist in new ways. Your forecast says you will be well rewarded for your efforts.

If your sign is a Horse (independent and high-spirited):

This is your year to explore new cultures and geographies. This exploration will provide new inspiration for your future works and will supply the finishing touches for your work in progress. Be on the lookout for new platforms and methods to promote your works. Are you ready to take up a new challenge? Perhaps begin a new work? The astrologers forecast that conditions will be favorable—if you step up. Don’t doubt yourself. You have what it takes to take on that new writing project.

If your sign is a Sheep (artistic and compassionate):

Attitude is everything this year. Take a chance and try to connect with your favorite author who writes in your genre. The connection you cultivate may bring you new opportunities for your writing career. This year your writing talent will be extra magical. Be sure to line up author events, attend conferences/conventions, and try to reach out to new avenues to promote your works (perhaps at wine tastings, grocery stores, etc.). Try enlisting a few fellow authors in promotional events for the best results.

If your sign is a Monkey (confident and innovative) :

This is the year that you must be organized and prepared. If you are, then you will find brilliant solutions to your writer’s block or plotholes. These ups and downs will allow you to make significant progress—if you make the effort to organize your writing endeavors. Be sure to treat other writers with respect especially this year. If you want reviews from other authors, you must review their works first. An extra dose of friendliness and respect will go far.

If your sign is a Rooster (progressive thinkers and doers and unafraid to be different):

Be sure to take the time to step away from your computer/writing desk this year and exercise. This is the year to finally manage your weight. Put your OCD tendencies to improve your health! Your tendency to work tirelessly at your work-in-progress should be balanced with exercise and good diet practices especially during the year of the Dog. Roosters are natural storytellers and love to do background research to add details to their works. Their drive, resourcefulness, and attention to writing craft will pave the way to their success as authors. Most of all, try to have a fun and enjoyable year!

Wondering How to Determine Your Chinese Zodiac Sign?

Use the handy table below to find your birth year.

We hope that you enjoyed this fun blog post that is meant as a way of thinking about new perspectives.

Chanticleer believes that we each make our own destiny by being optimistic and positive, being kind and loving, by dreaming and inspiring, being bold and doing, by appreciating and being grateful, and by expanding our awareness of the Universe.

We wish you an AWESOME New Year of Good Fortune, Good Health, and Many Book Sales!

The Chanticleer Reviews Team

February 15, 2018
The Writer’s Life: Author Interview with DIANA FORBES – Chatelaine 1st Place Winner, Historical Romance, The Guilded Age

Diana Forbes writes romantic historical fiction. Her debut novel, Mistress Suffragette is easy to pick up and hard to put down. Recently, I had the opportunity to interview this author and I think you’ll enjoy what she had to say…

Chanticleer: Tell us a little about yourself: How did you start writing?

Forbes: I started writing when I was 6 years old. First I wrote poetry. Then I wrote diary entries, heavily influenced by Harriet the Spy. After that, I wrote articles for my school paper. Then I wrote restaurant reviews for the school paper. In college, I wrote features for the college paper.

Chanticleer: So, basically as soon as you could form cohesive sentences, you were off to the races! Nice job, Diana. But when did you realize that you were an author?

Forbes: I met with a career coach in 2003 and I told him, “I want to be a writer.” He said, “Why don’t we just say you are a writer since writing is in the doing?”

Chanticleer: Smart – writing is an active verb… Let’s chat about genre. What genre best describes your work?

Forbes: Mistress Suffragette, my debut novel, is best described as a romance. It’s historical, so sometimes it’s described as cross-genre: historical-romance. It also has a lot of humor in it.

Chanti: Cross-genre sweet spot – best of both worlds. What inspired you to write historical/romance?

Forbes: I take two writing classes a week in Manhattan where I live, and one of my writing teachers used to tell me, “Don’t worry about the genre. A debut novel is what it is. Just write it.” But, I basically wrote the story I wanted to read. It’s a romance against a very interesting historical backdrop – the late 19^th century or Gilded Age.

Chanti: I love the fact that you continue to work on your craft by taking writing classes. That’s such an important thing to do! Do you find yourself following the rules or do you like to make up your own rules?

Forbes: I like to break rules selectively. In other words, I love to know what the rules are, then break them if there is a very good reason.

Chanti: Good. Know the rules, so you know when, why, and how to break them. What do you do when you’re not writing? Tells us a little about your hobbies.

Forbes: I am an art buff. I like to go to museums and galleries and look around. Recently I have also started going to plays and musicals in Manhattan. I like to poke around antique stores and fairs, too. I have a great respect for history, so if I can learn a little history while I am having fun, that’s even better.

Chanti: You’re in the perfect place to do all that! Tell us a little about how you structure your writing day.

Forbes: I am very structured. I am fortunate to have an office that is separate from where I live. I roll into the office at 9 a.m., trying to get in one full hour of reading before the day officially starts, so from 7:30 a.m.-8:30 a.m. Then I write from 9 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., trying to stay off social media and email completely. At 3:30 or so, I return all my emails and hop on social media. After that, I work till between 7 p.m. and 8 p.m. on marketing Mistress Suffragette.

Chanti: That’s a fantastically structured day! What has been the most helpful marketing tool you’ve used so far?

Forbes: I really like awards shows. They offer the chance to have the work receive a little recognition as well as a great marketing push. Award shows can also help introduce the work to new readers.

Chanti: What areas of your writing are you most confident in? What advice would you give someone who is struggling in that area?

Forbes: Readers often tell me that my strengths are my research, the setting, and the voice. I love stories that whisk me away, and that’s what I aimed for with Mistress Suffragette. I also want to tell untold stories. Some of the things I learned while researching M. Suffragette, I had never ever heard before – even in Political Science classes at my university. Anything I discovered that was really new and really interesting about the time period I made sure to include in the novel.

Chanti: That’s pretty cool. So, we know that you take two writing classes a week, what other things do you do to grow your author chops?

Forbes: My writing classes in Manhattan require that I turn in 20 pages at a time to early readers (my classmates) who give me feedback. One of the classes concentrates more on the craft of writing. I also read books about writing. In addition, I look for award show contests that provide feedback, so that I can learn and grow and my writing can improve before I show my work to an agent or editor.

Chanti: This is how we discovered each other! We’re thrilled you entered your novel into the Chatelaine Awards. What are you working on now? What can we look forward to seeing next from you?

Forbes: I am working on the sequel to Mistress Suffragette. I see the story as a trilogy. I am not sure when the sequel publication date will be. I write many drafts of my novels before I show them to my agent and editor, so I am somewhere in the revision process.

Chanti: I certainly hope we get to see the sequels of Mistress Suffragette. Thank you for stopping in!

If you love romance (and who doesn’t?) and the Gilded Age, you know what to do! Check out Diana’s website and follow the links to purchase her book, Mistress Suffragette.

Like her Facebook page and follow her. Trust me, there is more to come from Forbes, and you’ll not want to miss out.

February 15, 2018
CLUE Book Awards 2017 SHORT LIST for Thriller Fiction
The CLUE Book Awards recognizes emerging new talent and outstanding works in the genre of Thrillers, Suspense, & Investigative Fiction. The CLUE Book Awards is a division of Chanticleer International Novel Writing Competitions.

Congratulations to these authors for their works moving up from the 2017 CLUE slush pile to the Short List. These novels will now compete for the First Place Category positions!

Each of the titles below has earned the CLUE BOOK AWARDS SHORTLIST bragging rights!

More than $30,000.00 dollars worth of cash and prizes will be awarded to Chanticleer Book Reviews 2017 writing competition winners!

The CLUE Book Awards FIRST IN CATEGORY sub-genres are Detective/Crime, Suspense/Thriller, Private Eye/Noir, Legal/Medical/Police Procedural, Investigative, Spy/Espionage, and Political Thrillers.

The following titles will compete for the FIRST IN CATEGORY Positions and Book Awards Packages.

NOTE: This is the Official List of the CLUE 2017 SHORT LIST.

This is the Official 2017 Shortlist for the 2017 CLUE Book Awards:
- Triveen Nair – Land of Seekers
- Jeffrey A. Lockwood – Poisoned Justice
- Carl and Jane Bock – Death Award
- Hubert Crouch – The Weight
- Martin Roy Hill – The Butcher’s Bill
- Kara Lumbley – As the Ribbons Fall
- Jeffrey Ridenour – Aged in Charcoal
- Kaylin McFarren – Twisted Threads
- John Houde – The Criminalist: A Novel of Forensic Science Suspense
- Patrick Clark – The Monroe Decision
- Clint Hollingsworth – Death in the High Lonesome
- Elaine Williams Crockett – Do Not Ask
- Deborah Rich – Under the Radar
- Lisa Malice – Lost & Found
- Robert D. Calkins – Digger
- Barb Warner Deane – Killing Her Softly
- Lou Dischler – Beneath the Frozen Waves of Steel
- Larry Temple – 100 Days of Terror
- Elizabeth Crowens – Dear Mr. Hitchcock
- Zach Fortier – Cachibache
- Dana Ridenour – Beyond The Cabin
- K. A. Davis – A Game of Deceit
- Avanti Centrae – VanOps – The Lost Power
- John L. DeBoer – When the Reaper Comes
- Bruce Graham – Member From Devon
- Murray Lee Eiland Jr – A New Family (The Bart Northcote Series Book 3)
The CLUE SHORTLISTERS will compete for the CLUE First-In-Category Positions, which consists of Seven Judging Rounds. First Place Category Award winners will automatically be entered into the CLUE BOOK AWARDS GRAND PRIZE competition. The CBR Grand Prize Genre Winners will compete for the CBR Overall Grand Prize for Best Book and its $1,000 purse.

Lonna Enox awarded Clue Grand Prize for BLOOD RELATIONS

All ShortListers will receive high visibility along with special badges to wear during the Chanticleer Authors Conference and Awards Gala.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions, concerns, or suggestions at Info@ChantiReviews.com.

Congratulations to the Short Listers in this fiercely competitive contest!

Good Luck to each of you!

The CLUE Grand Prize Winner and the Five First Place Category Position award winners along with all Short Listers in attendance will be announced at the April 21st, 2018 Chanticleer Book Awards Annual Awards Gala, which takes place at the Chanticleer Authors Conference that will be held in Bellingham, Wash.

We are now accepting submissions into the 2018 CLUE Awards writing competition. The deadline for submissions is September 30th, 2018. Please click here for more information.
February 9, 2018